Domestic animals, in particular dogs, suffer in cold weather and can be susceptible to hypothermia. When a dog's internal temperature drops below 96 degrees F. (by being exposed to cold weather for long periods, or getting both wet and cold), there is a serious risk to the dog's safety. Small and short-haired dogs should wear sweaters when taken for walks during cold winter weather. Any sign that a dog is very cold—such as shivering—should signal the owner to bring the dog indoors immediately.
Many types of dogs do not like the cold weather but need to be periodically taken outside for walks, play or just to perform their bodily functions and eliminate their waste. The present invention provides a way for pet owners to help protect their dogs from the cold and make there life more comfortable.
In average winter temperatures most dogs enjoy being outdoors. They need their walks or wide open space to release some of their energy. Many dogs absolutely love to run and play in snow. But some dogs need extra protection from the cold. Unless they have their own cozy fur coats, dogs living in winter climates need outerwear for warmth and comfort on cold windy days. Dogs who shivered on moderately cold fall days will need a warm sweater or coat and lots of encouragement to go outside in harsh winter weather. Exposure to severe cold may cause pain or contribute to frostbite. Dogs with little or no hair on their bellies need a jacket or sweater that covers and warms their entire mid-section. Bassets, doxies and other long-low breeds also need this extra coverage to protect their bellies from contact with ice and snow as well as extra sensitive dogs . . . small Terriers, Chihuahuas, Italian Greyhounds, Chinese Crested Hairless. They all need extra protection when they go outside.
Dog sweaters try to address this problem by providing an extra layer of insulation. However, current dog sweaters are not effective in keeping them warm especially in extreme temperatures. When it is wet outside, such as when it is snowing, a sweater can become soaked immediately causing the animal to be more uncomfortable and colder. They may still feel the bite of cold weather, especially smaller dogs or dogs with a fine coat of fur.
Sometimes nature's coat isn't enough. In cold weather a dog can become uncomfortably, even dangerously, cold when exposed to the elements. The invention overcomes this problem by providing a heatable pet garment designed to keep the animal warm and dry in cold inclement weather. Each garment includes a heat source in electrical communication with a power source for production of heat which is distributed to the desired areas of the garment in physical communication with the body of the animal to keep the pet warm. In a preferred embodiment of the invention the heat source is solar panels or a solar battery pack. Other heat sources such as thermal, electric and microwave energy are included in the invention.
The prior art discloses references relating to heated garments. Representative examples include: U.S. Pat. No. 7,038,177 B2 to Rock discloses electric heating and warming fabric articles; U.S. Pat. No. 6,649,873 B1 to Cintron, Jr. et al. discloses a temperature-controlled heated garment; U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,471 B2 to Szymocha et al. discloses heated clothing for use in cold weather and cold climate regions; U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,296 to Bell discloses an electrically heated garment; U.S. Pat. No. 5,302,807 to Zhao discloses an electrically heated garment with a control for the heating element; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0257024 A1 to Deangelis et al. discloses a calibrated thermal sensing system; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0204857 AI to Reusche et al. discloses a heating system and related method; U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/00295808 A1 to Lacy III, U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/02193895 A1 to Dennis and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0080756 A1 to Goldfine disclose an electrically heated clothing article, a heater jacket and heated garment respectively; and U.S. Patent Publication No. 2005/0167412 A1 to Anso et al discloses an electrical garment heating system
Solar powered clothing for humans are being developed by Avantex and ScotteVest. The solar-powered clothing prototype by Avantex integrates solar cells in clothing to supply the energy to power small mobile devices as part of the “Solartex” combined research project. The material is said to have “optimized plug connections and with particularly flexible, mechanically stable solar cells, the prototype is able to withstand treatment in domestic washing machines.” The ScotteVest is a coat with a solar panel that connects to a power source in one of the pockets.
All these references were directed to heated garments for humans and not for domesticated animals or pets.
Both U.S. Pat. No. 5,537,954 to Beeghly et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 6,584,939 to Brezinski are directed to pet garments and disclose, respectively, a thermally heated pet sweater and a coat for insulation of domesticated animals.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,996,537 to Caditz is directed to an all purpose protective canine coat Col. 2 lines 14-18 states that the second separable fasteners are made of “a sun-absorbing heat containing material for keeping the animal warm.” Further Col. 3 lines 50 to 55 states “materials are selected to give a predetermined degree of thermal insulation and solar reflectivity.” The animal is kept warm by the material itself used to produce the garment, not by an external heat source.
In addition to the patents and publications discussed above various “heated body wraps” for dogs were found on the internet. Representative sites include:
At www.ecplaza.net a rechargeable battery pet coat and infrared dog heated body wrap was found. The wrap is described as having far infrared (fir) technology throughout, rechargeable battery operated, anti-microbial mesh material and is easy to clean.
At www.youractivepet.com dog coats and jackets in general are described as being fully lined with warm fleece and water repellent outer shell.
Unlike the present invention, the currently known prior art does not disclose a pet garment for dogs which operates via a solar source, i.e. solar panel or a solar battery pack and which can electrically communicate with a heating device, either directly or indirectly, and ultimately provide consistent heat to the garment which is distributed by physical communication to the body of the animal.
None of these products provide a heatable garment for a pet made of a heat device to produce heat, a rechargeable electrical source to power the heat device, a mechanism to recharge the electrical source and a control unit to turn the electrical source on and off.
An advantage of the invention is in the provision of heatable pet garments powered by solar power, i.e. solar panels and/or solar batteries, although other heat sources such as thermal, electric and microwave energy are included in the invention.
A general objective of the invention is to provide consistent additional heat to the animal with consistent temperature to protect form cold weather. The garment provides complete heat distribution as opposed to pockets of heat.
Another object of the invention is to provide insulation. The garment is made of a durable/reliable fabric which will maintain the heat and further insulate the animal from a harsh environment.
Another object of the invention is to provide safety and protection. Reflective panels present on the garment allow others to better recognize the animal in bad weather or darkness.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide free movement. The garment is lightweight and allows for easy dressing of animal and freedom of movement for walking or running.
Another object of the invention is in its ease of use. The garment incorporates the most updated battery or solar technologies to enable the pet owner to operate the garment with simplicity. No electrical cords or pockets to heat up or microwave, no fluids to shake, pads to implant or infrared devices.
Another specific object of the invention is that the batteries are rechargeable. The invention garments heating unit operates using a rechargeable source of electricity, preferably solar or through some lightweight battery that can be charged in a charger. The garment incorporates the latest technology and the easiest and safest rechargeable battery technology.
Nickel-cadmium is the first rechargeable battery in small format and forms a standard against which other chemistries are commonly compared. In addition lithium-based systems offer high-energy density and low weight. If used a protection circuit will be required to limit voltage and current for safety reasons. Although energy density is paramount, other important attributes are service life, load characteristics, maintenance requirements, self-discharge costs and safety.
Another specific object of the invention is to incorporate PV, TFPV or photoelectrochemical technology into the garment. Using Photovoltaic (PV) energy conversion especially Thin Film, Organic and Printable type Photovoltaics (TFPV), the conversion of solar energy to direct current electricity is driven by an array of technology options that can lead to improved performance, increased reliability, and lower cost. TFPV is less expensive because less material is used to produce thin film cells compared to conventional PV. Most importantly, TFPV uses simple printing and roll to roll manufacturing processes. Recent technological improvements have lead to increased efficiency in electrical conversion and heat generation. For example, depositing thin layers of photoelectric material onto a substrate, enables significant reductions in the amount of raw material used. With the emergence of this new manufacturing processes, including roll to roll (R2R) and printing technologies, TFPV will enable even further cost reductions with increased electrical output.
Organic photoelectrochemical, dye-sensitized cells, a new type of solar energy, is expected to be available commercially within the next few months. The technology, which is easy and cheap to use, will be embedded in hundreds of day-to-day consumer products. The dye cells can be used for windows, building facades, gadgets and even in clothing. This new process is potentially more robust than regular photovoltaic panel solutions. Dye based solar cells are made of titanium oxide nanocrystals. These are coated with light absorbing dye that can be used in various materials including glass and plastic. The dye is immersed in an electrolyte solution. When light reaches the surface, the dye sets free electrons which in turn create ‘holes’—positive charges as a result of ‘lost electrons’. The titanium dioxide semiconducts and transfers electricity to an electrical circuit and energy is created.
Thin film and printed batteries are two related solid state battery types that have smaller form factors than existing liquid electrolyte based button batteries, are potentially low cost, and can fit within existing manufacturing processes. While power densities are not as high as traditional battery types, which is why cell phones are not listed among target applications, NanoMarkets' analysts believe that the unique benefits of thin film and printed batteries position them as energy sources for a variety of next generation, low power, ultra small. Despite their different manufacturing approaches, thin film and printed batteries share several common benefits that are driving their development.                The batteries are very thin with average thicknesses of less than 1 mm        Thin film and printed batteries have long shelf lives and can be reportedly recharged up to 45,000 times.        Long lives and robust rechargeabilty mean these batteries could work with competing energy sources rather than against them, such as storing electricity from energy harvesting devices        Thin film batteries using solid state electrolytes have less potential to hurt the environment        These batteries can be fabricated in virtually any size or shape on a variety of substrates.        
Additional new technologies and other potential energy methods which may be used in the invention device include kinetic energy and the Infinit-e-Stretcher.
Kinetic energy is a device to store energy by just moving; doing sports, exercise, dance or just walking. There currently exists a very simple ankle band (you can also wear it around your arms if that is where you move more) which stores the energy by your movements through this kinetic device. When necessary you plug this charged unit into the garment.
The Infinit-e Stretcher is an ever lasting and ubiquitous source of energy which remains unutilized. It is the flexion that happens in muscles and synthetic materials like straps and belts in our everyday activities that goes unutilized. The concept uses principle of piezoelectricity to harness energy from these everyday and all time activities like breathing, walking and does so without needing a conscious effort from the user.
The most promising example can be of an activity like breathing, which anyone does all the time, produces expansion and relaxation of torso, especially of abdominal region of the person, where we normally wear belt. This expansion and contraction induces alternate stresses in the belt which can be utilized to produce electricity, by using principle of piezoelectricity. Similarly, ‘Infinit-e’ can be used in other scenarios like exercising:                One can cling it on to pet garment and use deflections during breathing to generate energy for any of the electronic device        One can cling it onto straps of pet garment to harness oscillations during walking to charge your gadgets        
It can be used to cling on anything that is undergoing alternate tension and relaxation to generate electricity. Thus, it has infinite possibilities of generating energy.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a device that eliminates the dependency on localized charging points and allows charging the pet garments battery while the user is on the move.
This results in enormous savings in energy and materials used for making these components like chargers and batteries and elimination of their harmful impacts on environment.
Another object of the invention is to provide self powered twist devices to power the garment and generate heat energy. Inspired by other contemporary self powered devices such as radios and lamps, we could create a pet garment that uses a winding mechanism for power. The self winding mechanism is also intended to highlight how this latest technology can live in a more harmonious way with us in our society and hopefully make people aware that energy does not just only come from a power point.